WESTON HELPS MEN'S ICE HOCKEY ROLL PAST CONNECTICUT COLLEGE, 4-1

BOSTON, MA - Sophomore defenseman Steven Weston (Henniker, NH) collected a goal and an assist to pace the University of Massachusetts Boston men's ice hockey team's offensive attack in a 4-1 victory over Connecticut College this evening at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of UMass Boston. The win was the first for the Beacons over the Camels since a 5-4 decision on February 5, 2005. With the victory, UMass Boston improves to 8-3 overall which matches the program's best start since the 1987-88 season and lifts its record in the ECAC East to 4-2-0. Connecticut College drops to 3-4-2 and 3-3-0 with the loss.

In the first period, the home team took advantage of a Camel mistake to jump out to a 1-0 lead. While his team was on the power play, Camels junior goaltender Andrew Margolian (Mahwah, NJ) collected a puck behind his net, but then gave it away directly to Beacons senior forward Matt Atsoff (Macomb, MI), who wasted little time to take advantage of the open net at the 9:43 mark for his team-leading eighth tally of the season. Despite the error, Margolian stood strong between the pipes to make 14 saves as UMass Boston dominated the pace and outshot Connecticut College 15-5 in the frame.

The Camels evened the contest, 1-1, with the man-advantage 11:12 into the second stanza. Junior defenseman Lucas Chavira-Schramm (Phoenix, AZ) blasted a slap shot from the point that deflected off the foot of a Beacons forward at the top of the left faceoff circle and into the top corner of the net. Senior blueliner Sean Tuohy (Salisbury Mill, NY) and senior forward Joe Capuano (Melrose, MA) were credited with the assists. Just under two minutes later at 13:09, UMass Boston regained a one-goal advantage, 2-1, on the power play when sophomore forward Mike DeGrazia (Novi, MI) found sophomore defenseman Chris Wilcox (Hollywood, FL) on the doorstep. Sophomore blueliner Rob Florentino (West Roxbury, MA) had the secondary assist on the goal. The Beacons added to the lead with 2:27 left in the period on a great effort by Weston, who crashed the net and backhanded a hard pass from junior forward Andrew Burke (Southampton, PA) for his second goal of the year. Junior forward Anthony Fitti (Havertown, PA) also picked up an assist, which was his eighth of the season.

The third period was scoreless until 15:32 into the frame when UMass Boston padded its lead, 4-1, on senior winger Vinnie Jacona`s (East Stroudsburg, PA) fourth of the campaign. Fitti caused the turnover in the Camels' zone, found Weston near the net, and then he made a quick pass to Jacona to setup the Beacons' score.

In net, UMass Boston senior goaltender Thomas Speer (Wausau, WI) made 26 saves to improve his record to 4-2-0, while Margolian was on the losing end with 35 saves and fell to 3-3-2.

Both teams return to action tomorrow afternoon as the Beacons host Tufts University at 3:00 p.m. and the Camels travel to Wellesley, MA, to take on Babson College at 4:00 p.m.